Only a few of her voyages are mentioned here. For information on further voyages, please see the documents received from the National Archives of Norway and A. Hague's Voyage Record above.

As will be seen when going to Page 1 of the archive documents, Tabor left Bergen, Norway on Apr. 7-1940, just 2 days before the German invasion - she arrived New York Apr. 20. Her 1941 voyages also start on this document and continue on Page 2 (it'll be noticed that she appears to have had a long stay in New York that fall), which also shows a few 1942 voyages.

At the beginning of 1942, she's listed in Convoy SL 101, which departed Freetown on Febr. 21 and arrived Liverpool on March 15; Tabor stopped at Belfast Lough that day. Her cargo is given as potash and general (A. Hague adds 1 passenger and 20 mails) and she had station 61 of the convoy. Dagrun, Drammensfjord, Elin K. and Tanafjord are also included - ref. external link provided within the Voyage Record above.

The following month she can be found, together with Emma Bakke, Katy (returned to port), Kong Haakon VII, Lynghaug, Norheim, Norsol (both returned), Olaf Bergh, Polartank (returned) and Siljestad, in the westbound North Atlantic Convoy ON 83, which originated in Liverpool on Apr. 4 and arrived Halifax on the 17th. Tabor, however, was bound for New York, where she arrived Apr. 20, having sailed from Clyde on Apr. 4 - see Page 3. This convoy will be added to an individual page my Convoys section, but in the meantime, the ships sailing in it (and escorts) are named in the section listing ships in all ON convoys.

More info on the other Norwegian ships mentioned here can be found via the alphabet index at the end of this page, or go to the Master Ship Index

On arrival New York on Apr. 20-1942, the following were on boardFrom "List or Manifest of Aliens employed on the vessel as members of crew"

Received from Walter Guthrie, son-in-law of William Doig. I believe he in turn received it from Ray Buck, and that the original manifest was found at Ancestry.com(?).

*Denotes those who were members of crew on last voyage to the U.S., the others were not.*Denotes those who were discharged while in New York

Signed on in Oslo on Dec. 18-1939 - there's a note for him saying he was detained, reason not given

Cook Gunnar Olaf Martinsen*

Signed on in Glasgow on March 25-1942 - if this is so, he could not have been a member of crew on last voyage to the U.S. (unless he had paid off and signed on again with a different position?)

2nd Cook Reidar Konrad Melbye-Olsen*

Signed on in Glasgow on March 31-1942; again, he could not have been on board on last voyage to the U.S.

Cabinboy James McGregor Carlyle*

Signed on in Glasgow on March 26-1942, Scottish - also detained

The Scottish Messboy Donald Morrison, who is said to have signed on in Glasgow on Apr. 1-1942, has been crossed out from the manifest, but he appears again further down, with a different joining date

Carpenter Hans Kristian Karlsen*

Signed on in New York on Jan. 13-1941

Boatswain Karl Emil Mathisen*

Signed on in Oslo on March 26-1940 - Died from fall on board while in New York, Apr. 23-1942 ("Våre falne", a series of 4 books naming Norwegians who died during the war, gives his name as Karl Emil Waldemar Mathiesen).

Birger A. Stangvik, who signed on in New York on Apr. 27-1942, is said to have been left in hospital, with Boatswain Mathisen, who died, as already mentioned. It looks like Birger Stangvik also died (broken spine?); on arrival New York, Tabor had a crew of 40, 12 were discharged, 2 were left in hospital and 15 signed on. Upon departure New York on May 11, she had a total complement of 41.

Tabor's subsequent voyages are listed on Page 3 (as can be seen, she left New York again on May 11-1942 for Table Bay and Aden). Convoy information for some of these voyages can be found in A. Hague's Voyage Record further up on this page.

Final Fate - 1943:

Tabor was torpedoed southeast of Cape Agulhas by U-506 (Würdemann) on March 9-1943, position 38 30S 23 10E, when on a voyage from Port Said via Aden to Cape Town in ballast (200 tons salt). She had sailed from Aden on Febr. 22. The torpedo, which came from the port side, detonated in the tunnel in No. 4 hold and set the tunnel and engine room on fire. The elctrician was killed there, while the 1st engineer managed to get up on deck but was very seriously burnt all over his body. 1 man in the tunnel (Mechanic Sørensen?) was blown aft by the force of the explosion and was able to climb up the ladder. All electric lights went out and machinery was rendered inoperable. SOS was sent out with the emergency set, but this was not acknowledged.

The survivors were able to get away in 4 lifeboats before a 2nd torpedo hit in the engine room (at 07:00, half an hour after the first one according to the captain's report), causing a tremendous explosion and fire, but when Tabor still didn't sink the U-boat started shelling her until she finally sank 2 hours later. The shelling had set the bridge and midships intallations on fire as well. After the ship had gone down, the U-boat came over to the lifeboats to ask the usual questions about ship and cargo.

Several of the men were injured and were taken care of as best they could, the wounded having been distributed in No. 4 boat (motor boat) and No. 3 boat. It was decided that these 2 boats should go on ahead in order to reach land as quickly as possible to get help for the injured. The 1st engineer died quietly the first evening and was buried in the sea the next day. The boats encountered stormy weather and high seas, so that boat No. 1 lost contact with the others. On March 17, No.'s 3 and 4 boats with 22 on board arrived Still Bay where the men were given medical care, then moved to Riversdale the same day. Mechanic Sørensen and Able Seaman Jakobsen were admitted to a hospital. Boat No. 2 arrived Cans Bay on March 18 with 10 survivors who were sent to Hermanus the following day (see the note and pictures further down on this page).

The men in the No. 1 boat had seen land in the morning of March 19, but that same day, when about 5 n. miles off land near Cape Agulhas, their boat capsized, and though all 12 had managed to get back in they were unable to keep the water out of it due to the heavy seas. They tried to row towards land, but in the cold water they eventually gave up and at 3 o'clock that afternoon Mechanic Foss Hansen died; by 6 o'clock another 9 were gone. The sea washed 6(?) of the bodies overboard, while the 2 survivors, 2nd Mate Devold and Able Seaman Vindnes desperately tried to reach land, until they only 20 meters from shore encountered a coral reef stretching as far as they could see in both directions. Too exhausted to row around it, they took the risk of heading straight for it and were thrown across by the seas (7 miles west of Cape Agulhas). They broke into an empty house they found and slept there till the next morning, when they met some soldiers who helped them get to Bredasdorp where they were given medical care, before being moved by ambulance to Fairmont Nursing Home in Cape Town. 12 had died, 34 had survived.

Jürgen Rohwer lists Tabor as a steamship, but that's incorrect. He gives the position 37 30S 23 15E (also found in Lloyd's War Losses). U-506 gives his grid position at the time of attack as KY 9415 (37 27S 23 12E). Charles Hocking gives the date as March 7, position "about 250 miles south of Port Elizabeth". (Page 3 gives the time as 9:10).

U-506 was sunk a few months later, in July-1943 - ref. link at the end of this page.

Crew List:The 1st mate was on watch on the bridge when the attack occurred.
The 1st engineer, the electrician and Mechanic Sørensen were in the engine room.
According to this message in my Guestbook, Ordinary Seaman Leif Næss was the son of Oscar Julius Næss, who died when Trolla was sunk.
Birger Nikolaisens's other ships are listed on this external page. See also crew list for Harboe Jensen and Hav.

Survivors

CaptainHalfdan Andersen

1st MateOve Bernard Olsen

2nd MateJohannes Backe Devold

3rd MateAlbert B. Daviknes

Radio OperatorJohn H. Scott(Canadian)

CarpenterHans Karlsen

Able SeamanAage Arnesen

Able SeamanRolf Bødtker

Able SeamanArne Aasmundseth

Able SeamanNilmar Justad

Able SeamanAntoni Johansen

Able SeamanØrnulf Jacobsen

Able SeamanPaul Vindnes

Able SeamanBirger Nicolaisen

2nd EngineerMagnus Gjersøe

3rd EngineerGustav Fr. Werner

AssistantOle G. Tangen

MechanicTrygve Andresen

MechanicHenry Sørensen

StewardLeganger T. Berg

CookFinn Tellefsen

2nd CookJohan Berntsen

Mess BoyJosé Vaz(Portuguese)

GunnerWilliam Doig(British)

GunnerErnest Claggett(British)

GunnerJohn McIntosh(British)

GunnerDonald Stuart(British)

GunnerJames Church(British)

GunnerPatrick Dennis(British)

+ 5 more survivors

The names of the British gunners were supplied by Walter Guthrie in this message on my Ship Forum.

Casualties

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BoatswainTorolf Torkildsen*Buried in Bredasdorp

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Ordinary SeamanTerje Refsnes*Buried in Bredasdorp

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Ordinary SeamanLeif Næss*

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1st EngineerHarald Stavdal

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ElectricianEdvard A. Edvardsen

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MechanicSverre Bengtsen*

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MechanicKjell Foss Hansen*

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MechanicErling Andresen*Buried in Bredasdorp

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MechanicOve Aronsen*

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OilerAubreyDennis Peat**(British)

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Mess BoyCarolus J. Degenhart*(Dutch)

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Saloon BoyMathew van Rensburg**(British)

* More information on the British casualties can be found on the Commonwealth War Graves Comm. website. Aubrey Dennis Peatis listed on this page, date is given as March 19, the day they reached land. (His 16 year old brother, Keith Alan Peat is also commemorated; he had lost his life on Febr. 8-1943, having been a deck boy on S/S Newton Ash). Mathew van Rensburg can be found on this page, date is given as March 9, the date Tabor was torpedoed, but he's said to have been in No. 1 lifeboat. Both are commemorated at Tower Hill.

* Denotes those who died in No. 1 lifeboat, 5 of whom are said to have been taken ashore and buried. (This conflicts with the above narrative, saying 6 of the bodies were washed overboard, leaving only 4)

This is a picture of a memorial at Bredasdorp Cemetery, South Africa. Torolf Torkildsen, Erling Andresen, Ove Aronsen, Terje Refsnes and Carol Degenhart are named on this stone.
The picture was received from Colyn Brookes, who is involved with the MIBISA Archive Project (Military Burials In South Africa) - see this external page. It looks like he has now published a book.

Received from (and taken by) Walter Guthrie on Nov. 7-2012 at Bredasdorp Cemetery about 40km from Hermanus
(see his Guestbook message and Forum message).

I've received an E-mail from Walter Guthrie saying the following:

I understand that you were contacted recently by a Mr Louis Swart from South Africa to get hold of my contact details. I have now been contacted by him and he has been able to provide some additional information that adds significantly to the record of some of the survivors following the torpedoing of the Tabor.

It turns out that he was a boy of 10 at the time and was related to the fisherman (Mr Otto) who found the survivors from Lifeboat No 2 wandering around the harbour at Gansbaai (Cans Bay) on the morning of 18th March (I have since received an E-mail from Mr. Swart, saying he was not related to Mr. Otto; theOttos' involvement was related to him by their eldest son). Mr Otto had difficulty communicating as he could not speak English. He quickly contacted a local hotel owner (Mr Herbert) who was English and he took the men to his hotel. He called a local nurse (Sister Welter) who came and tended to those suffering from burns (probably sunburn). He also took them to a local shop and supplied them with replacement clothing where required. Later that day they were taken to Hermanus and Mr Swart doesn't have any further information after that.

However during that first day the survivors were photographed and I have attached a copy of this photo. My late father-in-law (William Doig) is standing at the extreme right of the group. The figure in the background of the picture is the hotelier, Mr Herbert. The image is quite low resolution but it may be possible for surviving relatives of some of the other sailors to pick out individuals.

Mr Swart also sent me images of Gansbaai harbour with what might be the Tabor lifeboat pulled up on the shore. Also pictures of Mr Otto (and his wife) and Sister Welter.

Below are the pictures mentioned in this mail:

Survivors from Boat No. 2, picture taken March 18 -1943.

This shows Gansbaai harbour taken at or very close to the time the survivors landed. Mr Swart has added an arrow to indicate where the surviving sailors were found by Mr Otto. He has also circled a boat pulled up onto the land which he thinks could be the Tabor lifeboat but he cannot be 100% sure.

Mr. Otto and his wife.

Sister Welter, who helped to tend the injuries of the survivors until they were taken off to Hermanus.

Other ships by this name:This was Wilhelmsen's 2nd of 3 ships by the name Tabor. The first one was built in 1905, sold in 1924 to A. Bruusgaard, Drammen, later became the Greek To Kyma (1928), broken up in Italy 1933. The 3rd Tabor was built 1952, sold to Liberia in 1968, renamed Pelasgos in '69, broken up in 1972.